The former adviser to the former Mayor of London, Lee Jasper, who did so much to help Boris on to the path to power, is speaking tomorrow on the subject of “Money, Power and the Route to Success” (tickets only £10).

According to the Mayor Ken subsidised (until now) BLINK website, the downwardly mobile Jasper will be speaking to "upwardly mobile people like yourself who want to socialize with like-minded others in luxury surroundings that reflect where we are, at this stage of our careers and businesses." In Jasper's case that would be unemployed and under police investigation.

Why Do Brownies Like American Losers?

The rumour in PR Week that Stephen Carter wants Mark Penn to come over and advise Brown dumbfounds Guido. Penn, a pollster, was supposedly fired in disgrace from the Clinton campaign after he was found to be taking money to lobby against Hillary's own policies. (It is all a bit of a sham, she doesn't really believe in the policy, he isn't really fired). He hasn't exactly proved to be the wisest of counsels to Clinton has he? Clearly he will be perfect for Brown.

Gordon has fallen out with Bob Shrum, the unrivalled adviser to 8 losing Democratic Party presidential campaigns. Shrum was last seen at Heathrow, fleeing the country after a bollocking from an ungrateful Brown.

Still, the payments he picked up via the Smith Institute during his time as an adviser to Brown will cushion his hurt...

Charles Clarke Cashes In

Charles Clarke has been given a position by KPMG. Which is nice of them, it is of course entirely unrelated to the millions of pounds of contracts he gave when he was Secretary of State at the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) and the Home Office.

The DfES paid £1.3 million to KPMG in 2004 while the Home Office paid the company £90,000 for a review of the costing methodology of the ID Cards programme in 2005, both during Clarke's tenure as the minister in charge.

Former Blairites cashing in on their ministerial experience with companies they regulated is becoming the norm:

Patricia Hewitt, former Health Secretary, is now a special consultant at Alliance Boots, owner of Boots the pharmacist. UPDATE : Forgot BT - she of course knows something about crap, too big organisations from her NHS days. She was instrumental in awarding a contract for the huge NHS Spine project to BT.

Alan Milburn, another former Health Secretary, is on the Healthcare Advisory Boards of Lloydspharmacy and PepsiCo.

Ian McCartney, a former minister at the department in charge of nuclear policy, the DTI, is an adviser to Fluor Corporation, part of a consortium that is bidding to run Sellafield

Richard Caborn, another former trade minister, is an advisor to AMEC UK, another company bidding to run Sellafield.

Isn't it amazing how they never have any business experience when they go into government - not even a whelk stall - but when they come out of government they soon gain some.

Clarke's appointment was given the all clear by the relevant advisory committee. So that is alright then...

TaxPayer's Alliance forces Sleaze InvestigationInto Speaker's Expenses

Click to enlarge.

The TaxPayer's Alliance has struck a blow against the Speaker putting his snout deeply in the trough. Excellent news. If he is found to have abused the system he will have to go. He has no authority to oversee a system supposedly based on "honour".

Nigerian Financial Services

Personally, Guido can never remember his bank account details, so in order to help his many African correspondents:-

Account Name: George Galloway Election Fund

Account Number: 00 86 45 38

Sort Code: 30 90 47

DoB: 16 August 1954

Please make cheques payable to "George Galloway Election Fund" with your name and address on the back, so we can send you a receipt, and send it to: George Galloway Election Fund, PO Box 1109, London, N4 2UU. A luta continua...

+++ Spink Speaks +++

Bob Spink has just emailed this to Guido:

“The Party has failed to deal with local breaches of its rules and electoral irregularities, and with criminal activities over a long period and there are now corruption and other investigations, surrounding certain senior members of my local Association. It is with great sadness that I therefore felt compelled to resign the Party whip. I hope my action in resigning will bring the necessary changes and therefore be in both the public and the Party’s best interests.”

His email has a final paragraph:

Tories lose another MP at Westminster
MP Dr Bob Spink has resigned the Conservative Party whip because he is disappointed with the Party’s failure to address crime and corruption within the Party.

Dr Spink remains a committed and principled Conservative.

UPDATE I : Nadine Dorries reckons that Spink will, "given his strong anti-Euro views and Essex seat, join UKIP."

UPDATE II : Bob Spink emails again with a press release setting out his side of the spin:

“For the Conservative Party to now imply they withdrew the whip from me is brass-necked dishonesty. This sort of low-political deceit is why the public hold politicians in such deep contempt.

The Chief Whip said my resignation would disrupt the Party Spring Conference this weekend and asked me to reconsider, or at least to delay announcement. I refused.

He also asked me to meet with him, the Party Chairman, Chairman of the 22 Committee, and Dominic Grieve MP a Tory solicitor, and I did so this morning when they sought to get me to change my mind. I refused and at 12 noon today I informed Sir Michael Spicer, the Chairman of the 22 Cttee, that I was irrevocably set on resignation. I announced my resignation on the floor of the House this afternoon.

I remain a committed and principled Conservative and will continue to sit on the Tory benches.”

Extracts of an Email sent by Bob Spink on 11th March 15.47 to the Chief Whip Patrick Mcloughlin

Dear Patrick, It is not in the public interest for me to remain within a party that supports improper and criminal actions against an MP or democracy. I therefore intend to resign the whip….

If you wish, we can discuss how to handle my resignation, including publicity and the withdrawal of facilities.

Yours ever

Bob 11/3/08

Extracts from letter dated 12th March from the Chief Whip to Dr Bob Spink MP:

Further to your letter of resignation received by email yesterday afternoon, and our discussion today, I am writing to confirm the removal of the Whip with immediate effect.

‘The Chairman has counselled you strongly to await the Executive Council next week….’ 12/3/08

Guido suspects that Spink is going in a huff because he faced deselection by his own constitutency association who were not happy about him employing his lover / wife / lover's daughter etcetera. This promises to be an enjoyable bun fight...

Pigs to Westminster, Home of the Pork

The news that today pig farmers are marching on Westminster presents a number of obvious punning targets along the lines of "coals to Newcastle". There is certainly a lot of pork already in Westminster with £87 million of MPs expenses, plus subsidised dining and boozing all at the public's expense.

Not forgetting the no-receipts-required culture. We even have learnt in the last few days that the Speaker has authorised the shredding of past expense claim records. Just as the Stasi shredded the evidence of their guilt as the Berlin Wall came down. Oink! Oink!

The unpopular parts of the blogosphere are complaining about Guido's comparison of the monies received by Tom Watson's family and the amount received by Derek Conway's family. None of them dispute that the Watsons suck on the teat of the taxpayer to a far greater extent than the Conways ever did. Not one has disputed the £300,000+ figure, they just weakly claim that the Watson family do more work.

Well Guido has some news coming folks... this is as they say "a developing story". Guido has a track-record of leading on sleaze stories ahead of the dead-tree-press, ask Peter Hain.

Met Police Commissioner - We Are Waiting to Investigate Conway

Labour's favourite copper has written to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner to inquire about whether or not Conway is going to be referred to the Met. Guido is as keen as mustard on seeing Conway prosecuted, yet one can't help wondering if Ian Blair would be so eager to investigate Geoff Hoon or David Blunkett, both of whom are guilty of fiddling large sums from the taxpayer.

The Commons Standards Committee, which investigated the case, has said there was not enough evidence to refer it. Blair hints that this is not the protocol that is supposed to be followed. Guido wonders if Sir George Younger is really qualified or motivated enough to conduct criminal investigations.

If Conway has done nothing wrong why was he suspended from parliament? Why are his wrong doings not ordinary matters for the criminal justice system? Do MPs think they are above the law?

UPDATE : Almost forgot, Duncan Borrowman, Conway's LibDem opponent in Bexley and Sidcup wrote to the Commissioner in January.

Time To Wave Goodbye Mr Speaker

The resignation of the Speaker's spin doctor over the "mis-briefing" of the £4,000 in taxi expenses for Mrs Speaker caps a bad week for Speaker Martin.

The charge-sheet is getting longer and the voices getting louder, if he had any sense he would stand down before a way is found to push him out. That he was involved in efforts to hide MP's expenses from Freedom of Information requests shows he is clearly the wrong person to lead parliament into a more open and transparent future. The revelation that the Speaker claims mortgage subsidy allowance for a property without a mortgage when he already lives in a grand manner at the public expense is a fiddle too far. This is an abuse fo the system which Martin has been using to featherbed his lifestyle and subsidise even his family's lifestyle. Time to say "goodbye" Mr Speaker...

Labour's Anathematising of Hain & Morgan the Organ

Guido has heard that it was made clear to Steve Morgan, Peter Hain's sleazy campaign manager, that this year he was not welcome at the recent Welsh Labour Party conference. Guido has checked with the Labour Party press office and they will only confirm that Morgan did not attend. (Nor incidentally did the disgraced former Secretary of State for Wales).

That is a little strange for a man who likes to think of himself as an important Welsh Labour Party mover and shaker, usually he can be found glad handing and ingratiating himself with the Welsh Labour Party's big-wigs in the bars. Wonder why he didn't attend? Why miss out on all those photo and client-opportunities?

Could it be that he was a little embarrassed about his efforts on behalf of Hillary Clinton? Surely not. Could it be that despite all the spin from Morgan Allen Moore about the lobbyist industry's APPC professional standards investigation going nowhere, it is getting seriously embarrassing for Morgan?

Morgan spun a line to the public affairs trade press that the complaint had been lodged by an aggrieved Tory ex-employee and would go nowhere. However when the APPC Management Committee met on 5 February they concluded there was a cause for complaint and referred it to the APPC’s Professional Practices Panel.

International spin merchants Grayling were rumoured to be on the verge of a multi-million pound takeover deal for MAM until this scandal blew-up and they pulled out days before the deal was to be agreed. Grayling were one of the founders of the APPC. Guido tried to get confirmation from David Thomas, Grayling's finance director, without success...

+++ IAIN PAISLEY JUNIOR RESIGNS OVER SLEAZE +++

UPDATE : More on Slugger.

Usual fiddling politician resigning for no reason. "I am not going because of some hidden or some revealed wrongdoing". So why resign?

Sunday Sleaze Round-Up

Due to the quantity of political sleaze being reported Guido has introduced a simple "Pigs in Shit" rating system for guidance on the misdemeanors of porcine politicians (guide here).
Speaker Fiddled Family Flights on Taxpayer's Airmiles
Press Association

Gordon's Undeclared Rent Under Investigation
Press Association
Wendy Praised Campaign Donors in Parliament
Sunday Post
24 London MPs Claim £20,000+ Overnight Accommodation
Sunday Times

Has Guido missed any sleaze? Answers in the comments please - will update above.

Sunday Sleaze Round-Up

Due to the quantity of political sleaze being reported Guido is introducing a "Pigs in Shit" rating system for guidance on the misdemeanors of porcine politicians.

Politically motivated mud throwing, technical reporting error / potentially honest mistake.

Definitely dodgy, unethical rule bending


Potentially fraudulent or criminal activity

Wee Wendy in New Funding Row

Wendy is facing another investigation by the Electoral Commission into a claim that she channelled £12,000 through the Scottish Industry Forum (SIF) a Labour front organisation to fund her constituency office. A Scottish Conservative party fundraiser, claims he was misled into contributing to her office at a fundraiser.
Purnell Fiddles Primary Residence to Dodge Tax
This is the classic property trick by politicians. Claim the mortgage subsidy allowance by saying your London home is your second home and the constituency home is your primary residence. When the MP comes to sell the London property this is a problem, only primary residences qualify to escape capital gains tax. Guido highlighted the primary/second home trick in December 2005 (see Four Lords a Fiddlin'). Guido is not going to give Purnell three pigs for fraudulent misrepresentation because he is so slippery he probably would escape prosecution.
David Davis Campaign Donation Declared by Lieutenants
A businessman who gave £20,000 to "essentially" support Basher Davis' bid for the Tory crown had his donation declared by Andrew Mitchell and Nick Herbert. They say they used the money to support a researcher who worked on the Davis campaign.
Multi-Millionaire Paxman Pays Staff Below Minimum Wage
Well, well, well - according to his ex-staff he paid them £200 for a forty hour week, gave them no payslips, no contract and no agreed holidays. He treated them with his characteristic arrogance and high handedness. Answer the question Paxo - Did you pay tax and national insurance on their wages? The Screws story also re-hashes some of his affairs.
Peers Fiddle Tens of Thousands in Allowances
Labour peer Baroness Billingham, who has a flat in Hampstead and a country house in Suffolk claimed £26,983 in 2006-07 in overnight allowances inexplicably. Another Labour peer and former senior trade unionist Lord Brett, who lists his address in Who's Who as a flat in Dolphin Square declares his main residence as his home in Cumbria allowing him to claim £27,887 last year. This scam is outright fiddling which Guido pointed to years ago.
Michael Ancram Claims £20,000 to Paint House
Yet more piggery, the multi-millionaire 13th Marquess of Lothian and Earl, Michael Ancram explains that the taxpayer had to paint his property and remove moss from the garden. Why?

Derek Draper's Missus is Tangoing With Someone Else

Shhhh, Don't Mention the Sleaze!

Last week at PMQs there was no mention of MPs caught with their hands in the till, paying their 80 year old mothers out of public funds, running up car mileage allowances that would take them round the world by road, claiming housing subsidies to pay their own children rent, "employing" ex-wives who lived nowhere near their constituencies and children who were in full time education. No mention of the generous daily food allowances despite the subsidised bars and restaurants. No mention of the MPs who claim for expensive second homes which are actually their primary residence. Yet yesterday Cameron and Brown both announced they were intent on cleaning up the sleaze.

Will the political class mention at PMQs the issue that the rest of us want to hear about?

MPs Four Times More Likely toCommit Fraud Than Benefit Claimants

According to the National Audit Office 1 in 2585 benefits claimants were successfully prosecuted or cautioned for benefit fraud in 2006-07.* Whereas for MPs the numbers so far identified are (after Conway), 1 in 646 parliamentary expense claimants. Four times as high...

Is it any wonder that the latest Populus poll has 73% of the population viewing all politicians as equally sleazy, with 14% thinking Brown's government is more sleazy than the Major government. Dave is sufficiently worried about the sleaze issue re-surfacing that he has summoned Tory MPs to an emergency meeting of the parliamentary party.

This definition is doing the rounds at the moment:

Politics pol·i·tics, pronunciation: \ˈpä-lə-ˌtiks\

Function:

noun plural but singular or plural in construction

Etymology:

Greek politika, from neuter plural of politikos political. From poli meaning many and tics which means blood sucking grubs.

Which seems correct to Guido...

*via Chris Dillow.

Sunday Sleaze Round-Up

Peter Hain is using his Commons expenses to pay his 80-year-old mother £5,400 a year for “secretarial assistance”. Although Hain was supported by civil servants, special advisers, private secretaries and secretaries on becoming a minister in 1997, he continued to pay Adelaine Hain.
Sunday Times

Bob Spink, employs his former wife as a £28,000-a-year secretary, even though she lives 150 miles from his constituency. Apparently this is not alimony, she manages databases for him. He also employed his lover and her daughter.

Mail on Sunday

Nicholas and Ann Winterton claim rent subsidy allowance to pay the rent on a flat they owned outright and which they put in a trust for their children. Effectively meaning the taxpayer pays their children £30,000 a year for nothing.
Mail on Sunday

Alan Johnson, the health secretary, gave special access to a National Health Service contractor owned by one of the biggest donors to his deputy leadership campaign, holding a private meeting in his offices with Dr Reg Race of Quality Health, who had earlier given £5,000 to Johnson’s deputy leadership campaign.

Johnson met Race at the Department for Health on November 12, according to questions answered under the Freedom of Information Act. Unusually no civil servants were at the meeting and no minutes were kept. Quality Health has millions in contracts with the NHS.

The Times

Electoral Commission to investigate dodgy proxy donor via 50 year-old Pakistani "student" to Alan Johnson's campaign.

Sunday Mirror

Wendy Alexander faces prosecution over foreign donations scandal.
Sunday Herald

Justice Unseen is Justice Denied

Guido has tried to find out what punishment was meted out to Lord Hoyle yesterday. He was in trouble for getting caught taking undeclared cash-for-access from lobbyists for arms dealers to meet with the Defence Procurement Minister. The Lordship's disciplinary committee, chaired by Lord Woolf (the former Chief Justice) met in secret yesterday and we the people are not entitled to know the result. Such is our democracy...

So let Guido pass judgement; Lord Hoyle is a shameless whore of parliament, he travels first class on the taxpayer's gravy train at the expense of the people, his priority is personal enrichment and the evidence is that he is more than willing to do grubby deals with arms dealers in the shadows, so long as there is money in it for him. In a better world that would have been the publicly given finding of Lord Woolf.

Lobbyist Regulator to Investigate Morgan the Organ Further

The Spin Industry's APPC Management Committee (background here) has decided to consider and investigate the complaint against Morgan Allen Moore further. The Committee is looking for more information about the conduct of MAM and Morgan the Organ. Further evidence and consideration of specific charges under the APPC Code of Conduct will be considered at a meeting on February 4.

So you have another 24 hours to put in any further complaints...

Sleaze, Sleaze, Sleaze and More Sleaze

The Conway family firm will presumably go into liquidation come the next election. Guido understands that Derek is not unpopular in his constituency, nevertheless having a candidate who is known to have enriched himself out of the public purse to the degree that his family has, will provide ready capital to his opponents.

Duncan Borrowman, his LibDem challenger has complained not only to the police about Derek, but about his son to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.

More sleaze due today : Lord Hoyle is up in front of a Lords disciplinary committee this afternoon. He got caught taking cash for introducing an arms company lobbyist to the minister in charge of weapons purchases in the Lords.

Doug Hoyle was a former Labour MP and government whip before hopping on the unelected gravy train, although not a hereditary peer his son Lindsay is the MP for Chorley, so the family will suckle on the teat of the taxpayer for many years to come. If Doug is found guilty of abusing his position will Gordon Brown remove the Labour whip from him? Has the moral compass lost all sense of direction?

So Gordon, What About Wendy? Harman? Johnson?

Did Dave dither? He says he slept on it and thought better, well he may have thought better not to lose votes, better not to annoy the activists, better to upset David Davis than Guido and Tim Montgomerie - who knows?

The important thing is, he has now dealt with the sleaze issue decisively. What is Gordon going to do? After the Abrahams scandal broke Gordon demanded the resignation of Peter Watt. He told the monthly press conference immediately afterwards that undeclared donations were unlawful and unacceptable and that was why Watt had to go.

Since then we have had Hain - he went - but we still have Harman, Johnson and Wendy. Why haven't they gone? They broke the law. Why are they still lawmakers and ministers of the crown?